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Volume 12, No. 1
Friday, August 7, 2026
Kirtland Man Indicted on 32 Felony Counts Involving Child Porn Staff Report
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A Geauga County grand jury has indicted a former Chester Township man on 32 felony counts stemming from allegations that he photographed minors without their knowledge and possessed material depicting minors engaged in sexual Hillebrecht activity, according to court records. Steven B. Hillebrecht, 47, now of 9125 Chillicothe Road in Kirtland, was indicted July 13 in Geauga County Court of Common Pleas on charges including six counts of illegal use of a minor in nudity-oriented See Hillebrecht • Page 2
Ballot Language Concern Prompts Kirtland Levy Do-Over Staff Report Kirtland City Council spent parts of two meetings in July redoing paperwork for a property tax levy renewal after the Lake County Board of Elections warned a wording omission in the original legislation could lead to the measure being rejected by the Ohio Secretary of State. The five-year, 0.85-mill renewal levy funds the city's community, senior citizen and recreational facilities and programs, generating about $156,412 annually. Law Director Matthew Lallo told council the levy has been renewed every five years for decades using largely See Do-Over • Page 3
Loncar Joins Board of Education
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CHRONICLE ONICLE ND KIR TLA
Coffee with Council Coffee with Council is Saturday, September 19 10-11 a.m., at Kirtland City Hall. For more information, contact Joe Smolic at 440-487-8984 or JSmolic@ kirtlandohio.com
CHRONICLE
Kirtland BOE Hires Three, Honors Dikowicz As State’s Top Transportation Supervisor page 4 SUBMITTED
Pete Loncar was appointed to fill a vacant seat on the Kirtland Board of Education July 20. Read more about him in the Kirtland Schools section on page 8. Loncar, right, is being sworn in by board of education member John Warren.
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Bradac Returns to Lead Hornets Girls Soccer By Alan Kornspan sports@karlovecmedia.com After leading the Hornets Girls Soccer Team to much success and a state championship in 2020, Head Coach Ed Bradac, decided to take a little time away from coaching the past two years. Now, two years later, Coach Bradac has returned to the sidelines to lead the Hornets Girls Soccer Program. Back coaching this summer, Coach Bradac said that the ten weeks of summer training have gone well. The team has been practicing on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings and also played in the Mayfield Summer League. As Coach Bradac prepares his team for the upcoming season, he stresses the importance of creating a fun atmosphere while using a family first, team first philosophy
to help his athletes achieve their goal of going as far as they can in the OHSAA playoffs. “The regular season is great, but we also know that we are a Division 5 program that plays quite a few Division 2 and Division 3 programs. The goal of the (the regular season) is to build confidence, get better each and every week until you get to October and then the goal is: can you get to November and keep playing as long as you possibly can,” Bradac said. Certainly, the Hornets Girls Soccer Team has the talent returning to again make a deep run in the OHSAA playoffs. After winning a District Title and playing in the OHSAA Regional Final game in 2025, many of the Hornets top offensive and defensive players return. Top offensive players returning from last season's district championship team include All-Ohioan
Lexi Vosicky (51 points - 22 goals, 7 assists), Gabby D'Amato (40 points - 14 goals, 12 assists), Olivia Pickens (25 points - 10 goals, 5 assists), Payton Adkins (17 points - 5 goals, 7 assists) and Anna Dumstorff (16 points - 6 goals, 4 assists). “Lexi was a regional All-American as a junior, and obviously AllOhian as well,” said Coach Bradac. “Gabby D'Amato, she comes back and did a phenomenal job as a freshman. In addition to Gabby and Lexi, there is Olivia Pickens. And Olivia, her potential is through the roof in my opinion. She is a just a phenomenal player. We also have a freshman, Cecilia (CC) Slomo who will help us as a freshman.” Offensively, Coach Bradac said that the Hornets will focus on being a possession team. “Our goal will be to keep possession and the more possessions See Bradac • Page 2
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